Fitness Expert (Wendy Sweet)
RGN; BPhEd (Otago), MSpLS (Sport & Leisure Studies (Waikato)
With over 25 years working within the NZ fitness industry, Wendy’s expertise in health, wellbeing and fitness is undisputed! She is known throughout the country as having bought the concept of Personal Training into mainstream NZ through the design and development of the Les Mills Personal Training programme in the early 1990’s.
Wendy didn’t start out in a fitness career though. Her previous career as a Registered Nurse working in ICU at Dunedin Hospital gives her a valuable insight into health and wellbeing issues in individuals and she brings both this and her fitness expertise to the Wonder Walkers forum.
With an interest in the psychological aspects of exercise behaviour, Wendy furthered her studies and completed her Masters recently in this area. Her thesis focused on how Personal Trainers succeed in enabling exercise and nutrition behaviour-change with their long-term clients.
Wendy has been a regular contributor to Fitness Life Magazine over the years as well as lecturing at both AUT University and Waikato University. She continues to deliver workplace training for the fitness industry as well as motivate corporate employees with health changes in workplaces throughout the country. When not engaging in her very busy workload, Wendy also finds the time to ‘practice what she preaches’ by attending the gym and walking the dog!
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Nutritionist (Christel Dunshea-Mooij)
Christel is a NZ Registered Nutritionist working at “Nikki Hart Nutrition” in Auckland (09 360 6330). She is passionate about sport and working as an accredited Sports Nutritionist for the North Island Academy of Sport.
Christel also lectures Nutrition in the Division of Sport & Health at Auckland University of Technology (AUT) and at the School of Sports at Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT). The rest of the time she is looking after her two active but lovely boys.
Her Masters thesis was a feasibility study to investigate the effect of a physical activity and nutrition education programme for 10 – 14 year old New Zealand overweight and obese children.
She has worked for the Clinical Trials Research Unit (CTRU), Auckland University as a Research Fellow. She is a co-author of several peer reviewed papers, e.g. the meta-analysis “Chitosan for overweight and obesity”. And passionate about evidence based science (which is often lacking in many dietary interventions).
She has represented the Netherlands at International events and World Championships in Rowing. In 2001 she ran Rotorua marathon and now enjoys participating in off-road running events.
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Nutritionist (Mary-Ann Carter)
Mary-Ann qualified as a dietitian in 1985 and has worked in public health nutrition for most of her career. She has a Masters Degree in Public Health and her published research explores the impact of school environments on children's food choices.
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Doctor (Kerry Clancey)
Dr Kerry Clancey is a New Zealander who completed her medical degree from the University of Auckland School of Medicine in 1983. She has a postgraduate Diploma in Obstetrics and is a Fellow of the Royal NZ College of General Practitioners. Kerry has a long standing interest in holistic, MindBody and complementary medicine. She studied Classical Homeopathy graduating with a Diploma in Homeopathy in 1996 and an Advanced Diploma of Homeopathy in 2004. She integrates homeopathy into her everyday general practice, using it in the management of both acute and chronic disease. Kerry aims to maintain a whole-person approach to the health and wellbeing of her patients. She works part-time in a practice in Mt Maunganui where she has been for 11 years.
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Psychologist (Janet Peters)
As I have mentioned before one of the highlights of establishing WonderWalkers has been the opportunity to meet some awesome people, although I must admit that I met Janet during the “Like Minds Like Us “ campaign. However given her wealth of experience I asked if she would mind writing something for WW that encompasses more than just our physical being.
Janet's background is as a registered psychologist and although these days she does not see people for therapy she is very interested in what people can do to enhance their lives.
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Beauty Therapist
In the near future we will have artilcles here from a Beauty Therapist.